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NEW IMAGE

DESCRIPTION OF
PROJECT – NEW IMAGE NICARAGUA

LAMb Agent and New Image Project Manager: Jenna Dollin

Who are We?

New
Image is an organization based out of Managua, Nicaragua, founded in 1998 by
Helen Goatley of New Zealand. Helen wanted to create a comfortable, faith based
environment for victims of sexual exploitation to meet together to share their
stories and to receive education on alternative sources of income. Due to
health issues Helen returned home to New Zealand in 2005. It had to be decided
whether or not the mission would continue. Two people were selected to carry on
the mission, Hellen and Xiomara. Hellen is a graduate of business studies in
Nicaragua and Xiomara is a product of New Image, having been a prostitute
herself before meeting Helen Goatley.

New
Image has a board with five members, who meet quarterly. Two of their board
members are the directors of Christ for the City in Nicaragua. Christ for the
City is one of New Image’s main donors, based out of the United States. Helen
Goatley also remains a donor from New Zealand. Mission teams who come through
Christ for the City will often support New Image by selling their crafts in the
United States. Long term missionaries in Nicaragua volunteer their time to
teach the women crafts and English.

What do We Do?

New
Image works to transition the victims of sexual exploitation into new, safe
lifestyles. As the women attend weekly gatherings they can make their own
decision to stop working in the commercial sex industry, knowing they will have
a support network in New Image. Hellen and Xiomara invite women working in the
streets to attend weekly meetings. They also offer weekly sessions where women
can learn new skills such as sewing, painting and receive English lessons.

New
Image is very involved in the community around them in order to identify women
to invite to their Bible studies and classes. Larger events are done, such as
picnics or handing out refreshments, to reach potential new members. Hellen and
Xiomara often walk out into the areas where prostitutes are working to speak
with them and witness to them. New Image has gained a reputation and women who
are not personally invited, will attend meetings due to word of mouth.

New
Image does not provide a living space for the women in their program. Women
must make the effort to come to scheduled meetings. New Image uses a very
personal approach by creating relationships with each woman they support.
Similar to a rehabilitation program, New Image helps equip women to survive in
their community without removing them from that community. Women must make
their own decision to follow Christ, and New Image will help them along their
journey financially, spiritually and emotionally.

New
Image creates a safe environment for women to come and share their experiences
and feelings. There is no judgment and the women find they can relate to one
another. One member described the fellowship she found in New Image as being
like her “family” and she felt she was treated as though they had known her all
her life. New Image communicates to these women that there is hope for a
different life and that they have purpose and significance.

The Commercial Sex Industry in
Nicaragua

Nicaragua
is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Education is not
valued in their culture and many women find themselves poor and desolate with a
family to provide for. Without education many of these women feel they have no
other options then to sell their bodies to survive. As Nicaragua becomes a
popular vacation destination, due to affordable prices and an attractive
landscape, more tourist are entering the country. The fear is that sex tourism
will become a norm for the country, attracting many sexual predators, which
Nicaragua will not be prepared to monitor properly. One

local
business owner expressed her fear of Nicaragua becoming the next Thailand. With
the threat of increasing sexual predators New Image is needed more than ever.

Prostitution
is often a family trade. Women are either forced by their family or their
mothers were also prostitutes. New Image is working to break this cycle and to
spare the next generation of this lifestyle. With the increase of sex tourism,
Nicaragua is seeing younger and younger girls working on the streets and even
being sold by their own families for sex. By introducing the value of education
to these women, they are breaking the cycle by revealing alternative ways to
make an income. In turn, the women in the program are valuing education and their
own self worth, while instilling these values into their children. New Image
does not only transform the lives of the women in their program but also the
many families connected to these women by breaking the cycle of abuse and
giving hope for the future.

Mission Statement

To
assist women in the commercial sex industry during their time of transition
into a new lifestyle. We equip them through education, life skills and a
biblical worldview.

Vision Statement

See
women transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ and equipped to find another
source of income while raising their self worth and empowering them.

Our Goals

New
Image is constantly working towards growing their ministry and offering the
utmost support. The following is a detailed list of different items and program
expansions New Image is hoping to attain and develop over the next year.

1.New Image is
currently in the process of attaining their charitable status. Their lawyer has
projected that this process should be completed this year (2013).

2.As of March 2013,
New Image has begun renting a new, larger location in Managua. This new
location will allow them more space to train, counsel and meet with women. With
this new location come many short term goals to furnish and set up their new
home.

With these new items
New Image hopes to expand their training. Previously, due to space constraint,
training was limited to crafts and English lessons. Now, with a new space and
kitchen they hope to expand their training to cooking, hair dressing and
computer lessons. The following is a list of needs expressed by the leaders of
New Image to be obtained in the next year:

•Bed

•Refrigerator

•TV, speakers, DVD player

•Tables for sewing and crafts

•Cookware to teach women how to cook

•“Pantry” project (food on standby at all times for
women who need it in emergencies)

•Tables and chairs for Bible studies and meetings

•Office furniture and filing cabinets to set up an
official office space for admin

•Computer printer for admin

•Computers (for training purposes)

•General décor, such as curtain, to make the space
comfortable and inviting to newcomers

•Fans

•Containers (for storage)

•General tools for home maintenance

3.New Image also
hopes to hire a full time counsellor to be available for the women in the
program and offer professional support.

4.Expand craft sales
and develop program for finding sustainable ways for women to make alternative
incomes.

5.New Image hopes
to develop their program to support the children of the women attending
classes. Currently, New Image offers schools supplies to the women for when
their children start the school year. This program could be expanded to include
day care for children while their mothers are in classes or Bible studies, and
to provide more training to the women on parenting. A potential partnership to
provide vitamins to the children could be developed through the “Enrich”
program also working through the Barnabas Group.

6.A potential
project New Image is interested in is creating a sponsorship program where
donors can sponsor specific women during their transition out of prostitution.
This sponsorship would be for a specific amount of time as the woman learns new
skills and looks for an alternative source of income.

7. Another potential way to support the
families of New Image is by offering a scholarship program to members of the
program or to their children to encourage them to attend University. Nicaragua
has free, public University but it can be expensive to travel to school and pay
for supplies. New Image could support individuals who show initiative in their
education.

OUR REGISTERED COUNTRY ORGANIZATIONS

PASTOR GLEN

ABOUT LAMb

We are a registered charity of Canada, committed to activating and equipping leaders around the world! Protecting children, Strengthening families, Growing communities! Ephesians 4:12
Commissioned by Mapleview Community Church in 2004

Designated Giving Policy of LAMb International FOR CANADA AND THE USA

CANADIAN INVESTORS: Spending of funds is confined to LAMb International approved programs and projects. Each restricted contribution designated toward an approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by LAMb International, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such program or project will be used where needed most. (Charity's Business Number - BN 81700 7024 RR0001)

USA INVESTORS: LAMb International USA is a United States 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt public charity (tax ID #80-0620953). At all times both LAMb International Canada and LAMb International USA retain ultimate authority to use contributions at their discretion for purposes consistend with their tax exempt purposes.